Garage-floor



A. L. OLSON,

GARAGE FLOOR.

APPLICATION men JAN. 22. 1920.

1,378,483, Patented May 17, 1921.

M I r ATTH/PNEKE UNITED mm arent owl-cs;

ANTON LAWRENCE'OLSON, OF VJ'ELCH,- MINNESOTA.

GARAG -moon; I

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ANTONY LAWRENCE OLSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Welch, in the county of Goodhue and State ofMinnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Garage-Floors,of

which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in garage floors, the primaryobject being to provide an improved structure wherein the floor can beeasily and quickly" converted into either a wash rack or into a smoothsurfaced floor. As a result greater economy of space in public garagesis effected and in small garages greater facility is afforded for moreefliclently carlng for automoblles.

With these and other objects in view, my invention comprises thefeatures of construction and combination of parts hereinafter describedand claimed. f

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1is a horizontal section of a garage, showing my improvement appliedthereto; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section taken onthe line 4.4L of Fig. 1, showing a detail; Fig. 5 is a section on line5-5 of Fig. 1, showing a detail of the floor in which the movable rackmember is in raised or closed position; and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectionof a detail showing a modification of my invention.

In the drawing A indicates a garage floor and 10 its side walls having adoorway 11, all of usual form. The floor is constructed with astationary grate C, made by molding metal or wooden grate bars 13 intothe cement work of the floor or by forming said bars out of cementintegral with the floor. The spaces between these bars are formed withoutwardly and downwardly flaring sides 14, resembling dove tail groovesand into these grooves are closely fitted a series of upwardly anddownwardly movable grate bars 15, which are designed to fill the spaceswhen in uppermost position and with the stationary grate form a smoothfloor surface. These movable grate bars have outwardly anddownwardlyslanting sides 16, corresponding with the sides of the stationary barsand are mounted upon inverted channel bars 17 thus forming a unitarymovable structure. This structure is mounted at each end upon eccentrics18, projecting Specification of Letters Patent. Patented ,lway 17, 1921,Application filed January 22, 1920. Serial 110. 35 3398.

into the channel bars, there being a series of eccentrics at one endmounted uponthe shaft 19 and another. series of eccentrics mounted attheother end on the shaft 20. These two shafts are journaled in thebearings 21 and are revolved in unison by the main drive shaft 322,whichis journaled in bearings 23 eri-ng of the-movable rack memberaccording to which way the ratchet mechanism is connected to beoperated.

Thus when it is desired to form a closed smooth surfaced floor or anopen rack for washing purposes, the movable rack can be raised orlowered accordingly, by manipulating the handle 25. In use theautomobile to be washed is moved onto the grate C and the movable gratelowered. After washing the automobile the movable grate is raised intoclosing position to assist in forming a smooth surfaced floor.

It is apparent that other means can be employed for raising and loweringthe movable grate than that shown, and I do not wish to be understoodthat I confine myself to the particular construction described.

One of these other forms is illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein a verticaltoothed rack bar 30, depending from the movable rack member 15 isengaged by gearing 31, which is propelled by the screw pinion 32 on adriven shaft 33. This driven shaft is operated by gearing 34, which inturn is operated by the separable hand operable shaft 35 from above thefloor. As many sets of bars 30 and driving devices, actuated by shaft33, may be constructed below the movable rack member as desired.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and Patent is: r

1. In a device of the class described, the

desire to secure by Letters combination of a drain pit, a floor over the2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drain pit, afloor over the pit, said floor comprising a stationary draining rack anda lnovably disposed.closure sition, to clear the openings in saiddraining rack, and means for raising and lowering said closure rack.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drain pit, afloor over the pit, said floor comprising a stationary drain ing rackand a movably disposed closure grate beneath the rack, said grate beingadapted, in one position, to obstruct the openings in the rack andsupplement the support afforded thereby and, in another postion to clearthe openings in saiddraining rack, eccentrics between said floor andbottom of the pit, upon which said closure grate is mounted and meansfor turning said eccentrics to raise and lower the closure rack.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drain pit, afloor over the pit, said floor comprising a stationary draining rack anda movably disposed closure grate beneath the rack, said grate beingadapted, in one position, to obstruct the openings in the rack andsupplement the support afi'orded thereby and, in another position, toclear the openings in said draining rack, said closure grate includingspaced supporting members, a plurality of spaced eccentrics for eachsupporting member mounted between said floor and bottom of the pit andadapted to carry said grate, andmeans for turning the eccentricssimultaneously in reverse directions to raise and lower said closurerack.

In testimony whereof, I have signed n1 name to this specification.

ANTON LAWRENCE OLSON.

